Hydrogenated phenolic resin esters



Patented May 12, 1953- ZUJN'I TED .S

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z-icssuss v HYDROGENA'EED BHENQLI'C'RESINESTERS Donald HPWheeIer, Minneapolis,"Minn. -assignoi to i General Mil-ls, 1110., a corporationof Delaware No Drawing. ApplicatioiiMaLy;4,IfI9 50, ISerialiNo. 1603194 lin'seed'a'ncl soybeanoil acids. The hydrogenated phenol i'fornial'dehyde resins themselves maybe water-whiteand crystal-clear the'esters prod'uce'clffroin' these resins may he colorless, depending uponthefcolor of ithefatty acidsused for esteiiflcettion. lhe esters dry to"hard,toug'h, resilient films, the rate of drying being "dependent upon the :clegre'e of unsaturation or the higher fatty acid employed for esterification.

It isanobjeot ofthe "presentinventiontoiprovide higher unsaturated fatty 'acidesters of.'hydrogenated phenol'formaldehyde resins of a particular type, *the esters 'being iin the :nature of drying foils "and" being "capable 1 of drying to hard, tough; resilient "films.

The hydrogenated"phenolformal dehyde resins used "for esterification' in the "present invention are those containing an average of from-about '4- to about "10 hydrogenated g phenol groups in the resin-molecule The resins arepreferably substantial'ly Tree frominethylol group's, -or at "most contaii'rcnl'ya'fewsulrgroups, therebyavoiding any -substarltial condensation, of thexresin" during subsequent treatments. ,Resi'ns. of the above type mayv be, made by adding formaldehyde tova phenol containing an acid .catalyst, and then. ,cartying ollt the-usual acid catalyzed condensation. After the condensationlis completed, the resin be cooledundernitrogen, in which event ittmayebe made- Mater-white land crystal-clear.

Resins ,..prep-ared from "phenol itself coniromabout =4-to about 10 phenolicygroup's per moleouleimayrbezmade-.by. -ernploying:a ratio oil-from 2t02=3 moles .dfi fcrmaldehyde-rperclrmolesi of-ezphenolil. .Ehese ratios lpermit .control of .the' 138511125156 toxthat above stated. 'f-Theinventiom is also applicable to substituted phenols, particucan-Jae controlled torthezdesired molecmansize by contror of the reaction conditions,including 'time,

temperature, -'-'and I catalyst.

The resin; reaction can "be :cata-iyzed by *mild acidcoz iditions such-as those obtained by theuseof acetic acid or -sim'iiar-ac ids as the" catalyst" results'in aresin which esterifies at a greaterrate and which possessesgreater solubilityi in -solvents, or the'ycan-- oecatalyzedzby: strong acids -such as hydrceliior and sulfuric which produce v:resins characterized 'ley a. slower rate of esterificatio'nand by a lower solubility in" the usual solvents. The iriild acid: catalyzed: resins. are therefore pre fer-red. 'The'xprccess is-sirnple and inexpensive to conduct, and bis and ttris compoun'cls andfiany:

excess phenol may :be readily removed -bys-s'imply distilling them i'from the resin reaction :mixture. :Ihe resins described above may be hydrogenated 'by simnlyltliss'olving i the-resin in -a suitable '-.solvent, adding .a hydrogenation catalyst such: as lrtaneyznickehandasubiecting theuso'lution to (hydrogen at an elevated :pressure :and at an elevatedttemperature.

For zthe hydrogenation" :temperatures in I-the rangefiof1150 2Q0r0.,vpressures of from EGO-40:00

pounds, anditime. periods; ofi'frcms 6+201ho111 s5 are" satisfactory. $112 :is clifficultto c determine '1 the: ex-

tent to which the :arornat'iclunsaturationiis'rremoved jzby .the Zhydrogenation, but abased on charigeszin .ultraeviolet light absorption, as will boa-seen iimthe .zeiea'mplesy the yhydroeenationmay.

proceed .-;to an: extent :or 382% :or :more. :From .-.a

theoretical standpomt', it would -appear 2 that nth-e hydrcgenatednesin.;.co1ilsl contain a .mixture ;of cyclcaliphatic tringsrand of :benzene rings :inasmuclrasmanyrbenzenemg-which iszhydrogenated oi'lssand may be. isolated individual ffatty acids Of such oils which have a drying orlsemi -jdrying characteristic. Even" the oleic acid'esters of these resinsare-cap'abIe of drying. tack freeovier eX-H tended, perio'dspoi time. The. time periodlinvolved,.

however, is usually longer thanthat desiredlin a .c'ommercial product. .In g neral, aiminilnum i0 dine.- number of 1610,- is desirable and preferably an iodi-nanumber excess: of: 1.10.

v-The .esterificatiorn maybe carried out by simply I heating the hydrogenatedresins withtfatty acids in-. ;thet-absence-.of aawatamst; at ratemneraturesiin These za'cids rmay.

excess of 200 0., preferably from 230-250 C., or in the presence of an esterification catalyst at temperatures in the range of 200-250 C. The time periods involved for esterification vary widely with the resin, with the degree of esterification desired, and on whether or not a catalyst is employed. In the absence of a catalyst, time periods of 18 24 hours may be required for about 60% esterification. With zinc stearate as a catalyst the time period may be lowered to from 8-12 hours even for 80% esterification. With other catalysts, such as boric acid anhydride, B203, the time period may be material reduced even to about 4 hours for approximately 60% esterification.

The extent to which the hydrogenated resins may be esterified is subject to considerable variation. Inasmuch as the free hydroxyl groups remaining on an incompletely esterified resin are essentially aliphatic hydroxyl groups, there is no material problem of color stability, and accordingly it is not necessary that these hydroxyl group be esterified in order to obtain a color stable product as is the case with the unhydrogenated resins. The same is essentially true of the alkali stability of the hydrogenated resins. The changes in the resin ester and the degree of esterification are largely the following: At low degrees of esterification, such as for example 20%, the resin esters are solids and may be applied as coatings from a solution. Upon the evaporation of the solvent a hard film is immediately deposited and there is very little increase in hardness resulting from the oxidation of the unsaturated fatty acid group. In this type of product the fatty acid groups serve largely as plasticizing groups. At high degrees of esterification, for example 40-60%, the resin esters are liquid and may be applied as coatings in a liquid state.

They dry to hard films as a result of oxidation.

At higher degrees of esterification, from 80-100%, the drying function of the ester i of paramount importance, and the phenol formaldehyde resin portion of the molecule essentially contributes hardness to the resultant film. The invention therefore contemplates esters ranging in degree of esterification from 20 to 100 The esters of the hydrogenated phenol formaldehyde resins which have a degree of esterification of 40% or more have excellent drying rates and produce films of excellent hardness and water and alkali resistance. The rates of esterification with the unsaturated higher fatty acids are higher in the case of the hydrogenated resins than is the case with the unhydrogenated resins. The same is true of the drying rate and the hardness of the resultant films.

The following examples will serve to illustrate the invention:

Example 1 769 cc. (9 moles) of formalin were added over a period of four and one-half hours to 1504 g. of phenol (16 moles) and 4 g. of oxalic acid. Refluxing was continued for ten hours, after which the product was subjected to evaporation and was then stripped at a pressure of one-half mm. until the pot temperature reached 300 C. and the vapor temperature at 230 C. The distillate weighed 215 g., while the residue Weighed 1085 g. The molecular weight of the residue was 618, had a melting point of 102-107 C., and contained carbon,-78.52%, and hydrogen, 6.29%.

150 g. of the above phenol formaldehyde resin were dissolved in 250 cc. of butanol. A Raney nickel catalyst was added, and the mixture was I bean oil fatty acids, 4 g. of zinc stearate and 50 cc. of xylene were refluxed and agitated under a Stark and Dean tube for 11 hours at 235-240 C. The theoretical quantity of water required for complete esterification was distilled ofi. The product was subjected to evaporation and then was stripped at a temperature up to 255 C. at a pressure of 40 microns. The distillate weighed 21 g., while the residue weighed 284 g. and had an n 1.5003, an acid number of 5.6, a hydroxyl number of 15.7, and a viscosity of Z4-Z5.

Example 2 243 cc. (3 moles) formalin were added drop by drop over a period of 2 hours to 374 g. of phenol and 1 cc. of concentrated hydrochloric acid. Refiuxing and agitation were continued for a period of 4 hours. The reaction mixture was subjected to evaporation and was then distilled at a temperature of 290 C. at a pressure of 10 microns. The residue weighed 345 12., had a molecular weight of 950, a melting point of 122-1'32 C., and contained approximately 78.5% carbon, and about 6% hydrogen.

185 g. of the above phenol formaldehyde resin were dissolved in 250 cc. of butanol and a Raney nickel catalyst was added, and the mixture subjected to hydrogenation for 21 hours at 180 C. and 2500 pounds pressure. The product weighed 184 g., and contained 76.62% carbon, and 10.12% hydrogen (theoretical hydrogen for complete hydrogenated resin 11.46%). The product had an ultra-violet absorption maximum of 4.8 as compared with a maximum for the unhydrogenated resin of 22.5.

56 g. of the above hydrogenated resin, 2 g. of zinc stearate, g. of the mixed fatty acids of soybean oil, and 45 cc. of xylene were refluxed and agitated under a Stark and Dean tube for 23 hours at 240 C. The product was evaporated and then stripped at 250 C. at 50 microns pressure. The distillate weighed 31.5 g., the residue 159 g. The residue had an n 1.5030, an acid number of 15.0, and a hydroxyl number of 30.2. The product was made into a 50% solution in mineral spirits, which was mixed with a cobalt drier and the resultant product applied to plates and tubes. The product dried to no transfer in 50 minutes; it was tack free to foil in 2 hours and 50 minutes; and had a 24 hour Rocker hardness of 12, 48 hour Rocker hardness of 20, and a 72 hour Rocker hardness of 22. The films passed the hot and cold water tests (3 days in cold water, 5 hours in boiling water) and the mandrel est.

Example 3 107 g. of the hydrogenated resin of Example 2, 215 g. of mixed soybean oil acids, 15 g. of phthalic anhydride, and 50 cc. xylene were refluxed and agitated under a Stark and Dean tube for 12 hours at 243 C. The product was evaporated and then stripped to a. temperature of 270 C. at 300 microns pressure. The distillate weighed 71 g., the residue 242 g. The residue had an acid num- 'aaesecasz bercof 8:74., A150:.%3soiution:o.thezresidue inxylene; wa's*.made;.a"icobaittzdrieri'wasa addeml andithecrea sultanflproduct:appliedistoxtubessandaplates:. The: films dried through in 30 minutes and wereitackr ffe'eitoifbillinififi minutessz- Roclzerz: hardnessafter 24:91'iUil1S5W9T'1 1.4; afterr'ZZ .hourszit; was). 1.4.. The: filmsipa'ssed the'-h'ot and: cold: water tests unafiected 5%:- NaQHi (24. hours) 1;. andiwere: flexible under-the:- &4. mandrela tests:

648; cc: of: formalin; (8?- moles) were. added-{oven asperiodrofi threehoursito ,1504.-g-.- .of.- phenol; and. 41g; ofioxaliciacids, Theizmixture was-irefiuxedm-and. agitatedqfor: a: period.- of. a hours; after; which the product. was}; evaporated... then stripped to": 305%(3. a't lfifi miclonsi- Thewdistillateweighed 2978 g;, .the :res-idue; weighedta892; g; and 1 had-Z a melting-g; point: of 89-95?- G.. The. carboncontent; was 78.;54:%;, .the :hydrogenawas 6 .'09%

mg; o'fa the abovecphenoltformaldehyde;v resin. were-dissolved in; 250. 00; of butanolu and ;a=.Raney nickelioatalystiwaszadded;. The mixture was hydrogena'ted for; 151-hours:at.180f at 2500 pounds pressure: The yieldj amount'edztoi 205 g. having; a; meltingjpointi of'..1-1 7'-123? C;zandzhavingg.aucarbon': contenti ot 757.35 %;.hydrogen111l.05 The'maxigmum-f ultraaviolet absorption: was: 3 26:

55 at of theiabove .hydrogenatedtresin; 14mg. off. mixed: soybean: oi1.= acids; la g-z of; oxalic: acid; anhydrous and; 405cc:- of: Xylene. were: refluxed: and agitated. under: a: stark; and. Dean. tube. for: 1.6 hoursat235:-247 C; Theproductzwasevaporated: amt then: strippedifto: a temperature of? 255 G; at 350 microns. The distillate weighed-1' g.; the residue-weighed 1'53Z-5 g; an'di had! an& u 1.4983. Theyiscos-ity of the product was 21-1 theacidi number: 1113, the hydrox-yl number 01. Arr 80%. solution; of the product in mineral spirits: was: mixed with: a cobalt drier and: applied on plates: and tubess The productwas tackfreetofoilover- I night-and passeda hot andcold w-ater test;

Example: 5

was. mixed-with.- ar cobaltdrier and applied on 5 tubes and'plates. The product dried to no transfer in.2 hours and 20. minutes and: passed. the hot and cold' water. test. It. failed... slightly in 5% NaOI-I in 3% hours:

Ewample 61 53 g. of'the hydrogenated resin of Example;- 4; 8 1i g: of the mixed soybean o'ii? fatty acids; g: phthalic anhydride; and 45cc. of xylene WGI'GTTGE- fluxed'and"'agitated' under a Stark" and Dean tube for 9 hours at 225-240 C. The product was evaporated and then stripped to a temperature of 260 C. at 30 microns. The residue weighed 123 g., had an 11 1.5064, an acid number of 5.0, a hydroxyl number of 1.1, and a viscosity of Z-6. A 70% solution of the product in mineral spirits was mixed with a cobalt drier and applied on plates and tubes. The Rocker hardness in 5 days was 10. The product dried to a no transfer point in 3 hours, and was tack free to foil in less 6]! thami 13% hours; Itzpassedrtherhot iandicoldrwatelx. testzandxtherS sodiumrhydroxidditestz v Example 7 891cc; of: formalinv (-1-1.'moles); were added during arperiod of 2. ;hoursto:lime-g: otphenoliandl 4; g; of; oxalic acid. The-mixture was; refiuxed'anda agitated; for? a period. of. 10. hours, after; which: the: mixture; was evaporated. and; stripped; to: 1 300 C; at-180;microns=. The. disti11atesweighed-1553 g5; .the'-'11esidue; 12530 1g; Theqresidueihada melting, point of 112-116 C), a3.ear-lawn;contentnfl'7H32% andra hydrogencontentnof 5.60%.

20.0.: g; of the aboverresin were diSSOlVEd: in" 250; ;cc: .ofbutanol and; a. R.an ey nickel catalyst was; added. The mixture was hydrogenated. for? 21% hours-.at 180? Cf. at;2500-pounds-pressurer. The; product; weighed 262' g;.,. had a. melting; point-10f? 155-158? G.,,and a. carbon content ef 76.55%:,.1a

20$ hydrogencontent .0ff9.76;%. 'Ihe.;ultraeviolet ab.-

sor-ption; maximum was-A9; 55.; g..of the; above hydrcgenatedresim, 140:g .of;'

the mixed soybean oil; fatty acids. 1 e11, of:v anhyrv drous oxalic acid, and 40 cc. Xylene were agitated and refluxed under a Stark and Dean tube for 15 hourszatr 235,-2505 'C: Theproductwas'then evaporated; and: stripped: to. a. temperature of 2511? atziO micronsi. Thedistillatezweighed:43:g;; the; residue:.1'45; g;. The; acidinumber of: the residue-: 1 wasi 5:75. the. hydroxyl.v number: 025,.and1 the1*ViS-:-

the product: in: mineralispirits wascm'ixed withi a colbalt; drier and. applied) on:- plates: and: tubes; The. product. reacheol lthernoztransfer stage: in; 2 hours; aiRocker hardness of 1611in.4tdays ,..andt

passed the hot andicoid'wat'er: testsiand the 5 NaOH test:

' Example 8 23(Lg.; theresidue li'wg'. The melting point of C. at 60 microns.

the residue was EEG- C2, the molecular weight 9012', .pencentrcarbori-z79214i per-centhydrogenoilm 200: g. ofatheabove resin were dissolved in 300 cc. of butanol. A Raney nickel catalyst wasadded and the mixture hydrogenated'for l5 hours at 180 6.. at 2350: pounds 1 pressure. The productwe'ighed'204 g-., .h'ad azmelting point of 12'8-135 C'i, percent carbon 75.97; per cent hydrogem 9270;; ultra-violet absorption maximum 43. 55 g. of? the" ab'ove'=- hydrogenated resin, g of: soybean. oil. fatty" acids; 1 g. of oxalic acid and 40 cc.- of. xylene wer'e refluxedand agitated underaist'ark Dean tube for. 15 hours at 240 Oi Thelmixture wasevaporated' and st'ripped -to 250 The distillate-weighed" 38* g-:, the residue 137 g. The residue" had ann '1'15UI'9, an. acid. number 312 hydroxyl num'ber-13.8,- 12.1, visoosityaz t to Z 5; An 80%soiution of theprod uct in: minerali spirits: was mixed witha' cobalt. drier: and applied on' plates and tubes. Rocker hardness in 5 days was 10. The films passed the hot and cold water test, the 5% NaO-I-I test, and the mandrel test.

Example 9 900 g. of p-tert-butyl phenol, 900 cc. of formalin, 10 cc. of hydrochloric acid were agitated and refluxed for 22 hours. The aqueous layer amounting to 700 cc. was drawn off. The balance was dissolved in benzene, and the benzene solution washed with water, dried over sodium sulfate, filtered, and evaporated in vacuo yielding 955 g. of a product having a molecular weight of 704 to 741 and a melting point of 130-133 C.

162 g. of the above resin were dissolved in butanol to produce a total volume of solution of 400 cc. A Raney nickel catalyst was then added and the mixture hydrogenated for 12 hours at 2400 pounds pressure at a temperature of 180 C. The product was evaporated yielding 146 g. of a pale straw resin melting at 142-146 C., and a molecular weight of 1035.

134.5 g. of the above hydrogenated resin, 134.5 g. of soybean oil fatty acids, 0.7 g. of lead stearate, and 50 cc. of xylene were agitated and refluxed at 235 C. for 21%, hours. The product was then evaporated and stripped to a temperature 'of 235 C. at 35 microns. The distillate weighed 31 g., the residue, 227 g. The residue had a hydroxyl number of 17.1, an acid number of 17.2, a gel time of approximately 11 minutes. The product gave a completely dry film at room temperature in 50 minutes.

Example The p-tert-butyl phenol formaldehyde resin of Example 9 was hydrogenated as described in that example except that the hydrogenation was carried on for 18 hours. This resulted in a product weighing 149 g., having a melting point of 136-140 C., and a molecular weight of 910.

130 g. of the above hydrogenated resin, 130 g. of linseed oil fatty acids, and 50 cc. xylene were agitated and refluxed at 235 C. under a Stark and Dean tube for 66 hours. The product was evaporated and then stripped to 235 C. at 10 microns. 21 g. of material distilled over, leaving a residue weighing 226 g. and having an n 1.5168, a hydroxyl number of 12.5, an acid number of 16.1, a gel time of 480-500 seconds. The product when mixed with a drier dried in 10 minutes at room temperature to a nice film.

Example 11 The p-tert-butyl phenol formaldehyde resin of Example 9 was hydrogenated as disclosed in that example except that the time period was 16 hours. The yield was 145 g. of a product melting at 139-1425 C., and with a molecular weight of 860.

132 g. of the above resin, 136 g. of the fatty acid fraction of tall oil and 50 cc. of xylene were stirred and refluxed at 235 C. for 66 hours. The product was evaporated and then stripped to a temperature of 250 C. at 50 microns. The distillate weighed 43 g., the residue 214 g. The residue hadan n 1.5178, a hydroxyl number of 24, an acid number of 11.5, and gel time 715-750 seconds. When the product was mixed with a drier and spread, the product dried in 20 minutes at room temperature.

I claim as my invention:

1. An ester of a hydrogenated phenol formaldehyde resin, said resin containing before hydrogenation an average of from about 4 to about 10 phenolic groups per molecule, the hydroxyl groups of the resin being esterified at least partially by means of an unsaturated higher fatty acid ester having at least semi-drying characteristics.

2. An ester of a hydrogenated phenol formaldehyde resin, said resin containing before hydrogenation an average'of from about 4 to about 10 phenolic groups per molecule, the hydroxyl groups of the resin being at least partially esterified with the mixed acids of soybean oil.

3. An ester of a hydrogenated phenol formaldehyde resin, said resin containing before hydrogenation an average of from about 4 to about 10 phenolic groups per molecule, the hydroxyl groups of the resin being at least partially esterified with the mixed acids of linseed oil.

4. An ester of a hydrogenated phenol formaldehyde resin, said resin containing before hydrogenation an averageof from about 4 to about 10 phenolic groups per molecule, the hydroxyl groups of the resin being esterified at least about 60% by means of an unsaturated higher fatty acid having at least semi-drying characteristics.

5. An ester of a hydrogenated phenol formaldehyde resin, said resin containing before hydrogenation an average of from about 4 to about 10 phenolic groups per molecule, the hydroxyl groups of the resin being esterified at least about 60% by means of the mixed acids of soybean oil.

6. An ester of a hydrogenated phenol formaldehyde resin, said resin containing before hydrogenation an average of from about 4 to about 10 phenolic groups per molecule, the hydroxyl groups of the resin being esterified at least about 60% by means of the mixed acids of linseed oil.

7. An ester of a hydrogenated phenol formaldehyde resin, said resin containing before hydrogenation an average of from about 4 to about 10 phenolic groups per molecule, the hydroxyl groups of the resin being substantially completely esterified by means of an unsaturated higher fatty acid having at least semi-drying characteristics.

8. An ester of a hydrogenated phenol formaldehyde resin, said resin containing before hydrogenation an average of from about 4 to about 10 phenolic groups per molecule, the hydroxyl groups of the resin being substantially completely esterified by means of an unsaturated higher fatty acid having at least semi-drying characteristics, the product being substantially free of phenol and phenol formaldehyde reaction products having less than 3 phenolic groups per molecule.

DONALD H. WHEELER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,072,143 Ubben Mar. 2, 1937 2,365,121 Traylor Dec. 12, 1944 2,413,412 Mazzucchelli Dec. 31, 1946 2,506,903 Smith et a1 May 9, 1950 2,544,365 Sorenson Mar. 6, 1951 

1. AN ESTER OF A HYDROGENATED PHENOL FORMALDEHYDE RESIN, SAID RESIN CONTAINING BEFORE HYDROGENATION AN AVERAGE OF FROM ABOUT 4 TO ABOUT 10 PHENOLIC GROUPS PER MOLECULE, THE HYDROXYL GROUPS OF THE RESIN BEING ESTERIFIED AT LEAST PARTIALLY BY MEANS OF AN UNSATURATED HIGHER FATTY ACID ESTER HAVING AT LEAST SEMI-DRYING CHARACTERISTICS. 